The 3rd-seeded Missouri Tigers seem to have a flair for the dramatic. Thursday’s first-round game of the NCAA Tournament against 6th-seeded Southern Illinois came down to the wire with a 72-71 win. Mizzou took a one-point lead into the locker room at halftime. After trailing by as many as six, Missouri was able to take a 72-71 lead when Rickey Paulding hit a free throw with 4.1 seconds to go. Southern Illinois had a chance to win the game, but Kent Williams missed an open shot at the buzzer. Arthur Johnson led Missouri with 24 points and 11 rebounds. After a slow start, Rickey Paulding finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Missouri improved 22-10 on the season. They move on to face 3rd-seeded Marquette on Saturday. The Golden Eagles topped 14th-seeded Holy Cross 72-68, thanks in large part to sophomore Travis Diener, who scored a career-high 29 points.